A pencil

/pnsl/ is a writing implement or art medium usually constructed of a narrow,

solid pigment core inside a protective casing which prevents the core from being broken or leaving
marks on the users hand during use.
Pencils create marks by physical abrasion, leaving behind a trail of solid core material that adheres
to a sheet of paper or other surface. They are distinct from pens, which instead disperse a trail of
liquid or gel ink that stains the light colour of the paper.
Most pencil cores are made of graphite mixed with a clay binder which leaves grey or black marks
that can be easily erased. Graphite pencils are used for both writing and drawing and result in
durable markings: though writing is easily removable with an eraser, it is otherwise resistant to
moisture, most chemicals, ultraviolet radiation, and natural aging. Other types of pencil core are less
widely used, such as charcoal pencils, which are mainly used by artists for drawing
and sketching. Coloured pencils are sometimes used by teachers or editors to correct submitted
texts, but are typically regarded as art supplies, especially those with waxy core binders that tend to
smear on paper instead of erasing. Grease pencils have a softer,crayon-like waxy core that can
leave marks on smooth surfaces such as glass or porcelain.
The most common type of pencil casing is of thin wood, usually hexagonal in section but
sometimes cylindrical, permanently bonded to the core. Similar permanent casings may be
constructed of other materials such as plastic or paper. To use the pencil, the casing must be carved
or peeled off to expose the working end of the core as a sharp point.Mechanical pencils have more
elaborate casings which support mobile pieces of pigment core that can be extended or retracted
through the casing tip as needed.

"Pencil hardness" redirects here.

HB graphite pencils. One is labelled2 and the other 21/2

A grading chart ranging from 9B to 9H

Many pencils across the world, and almost all in Europe, are graded on the European system using
a continuum from "H" (for hardness) to "B" (for blackness), as well as "F", a letter arbitrarily chosen
to indicate midway between HB and H. (It is a persistent myth that "F" stands for "Fine"; grade F
pencils are no more fine or easily sharpened than any other grade). The standard writing pencil is
graded HB.[31]According to Petroski, this system might have been developed in the early 20th
century by Brookman, an English pencil maker. It used "B" for black and "H" for hard; a pencil's
grade was described by a sequence or successive Hs or Bs such as BB and BBB for successively
softer leads, and HH and HHH for successively harder ones.[32]
As of 2009, a set of pencils ranging from a very hard, light-marking pencil to a very soft, blackmarking pencil usually ranges from hardest to softest as follows:

9H

8H 7H 6H 5H 4H 3H 2H

Hardest

HB

Medium

2B 3B 4B 5B 6B 7B 8B 9B

Softest

Koh-i-noor offers twenty grades from 10H to 8B for its 1500 series;[33] Mitsubishi Pencil offers twentytwo grades from 10H to 10B for its Hi-uni range;[34] Derwent produces twenty grades from 9H to 9B
for its graphic pencils[35] and Staedtler produces sixteen from 6H to 8B for its Mars Lumograph
pencils.[36]
The main market for such wide range of grades are artists who are interested in creating a full range
of tones from light grey to black. Engineers prefer harder pencils which allow for a greater control in
the shape of the lead. This is reflected in the way pencils are packaged and marketed. For example,
for its Graphic pencils Derwent offers three packages of 12 pencils each: Technical (with hard grades
from 9H to B), Sketching (with soft grades H to 9B), and Designer (with medium grades 4H to 6B).
[citation needed]

Pencils graded using this system are used to measure the hardness and resistance of varnishes and
paints. The resistance of a coating (also known as its pencil hardness) is determined as the grade of
the hardest pencil that does not permanently mark the coating when pressed firmly against it at a 45
degree angle.[37][38]
Cont/Thoreau[39]

Tone

US

World

#1

#2

HB

#21/2 *

#3

#4

2H

* Also seen as 24/8 , 2.5, 25/10

Another method uses numbers to designate the grade of a pencil. It was originally created by Cont
and adopted in the US by John Thoreau, father of Henry Thoreau, in the 19th century.[40]
Although Cont/Thoreau's system is widely accepted, not all manufacturers follow it; for example,
Faber-Castell uses a different equivalence table in its Grip 2001 pencils: 1 = 2B, 2 = B, 21/2 = HB, 3
= H, 4 = 2H.
The various graphite pencil grades are achieved by altering the proportion of graphite to clay: the
more clay the harder the pencil.[41][42][43] Two pencils of the same grade but different manufacturers
will not necessarily make a mark of identical tone nor have the same hardness. [44]

TYPES
Graphite pencils
These are the most common types of pencil, and are encased in wood. They are made of a
mixture of clay and graphite and their darkness varies from light grey to black. Their
composition allows for the smoothest strokes.
Solid graphite pencils
These are solid sticks of graphite and clay composite (as found in a 'graphite pencil'), about
the diameter of a common pencil, which have no casing other than a wrapper or label. They
are often called "woodless" pencils. They are used primarily for art purposes as the lack of
casing allows for covering larger spaces more easily, creating different effects, and providing
greater economy as the entirety of the pencil is used. They are available in the same
darkness range as wood-encased graphite pencils.
Charcoal pencils
Are made of charcoal and provide fuller blacks than graphite pencils, but tend to smudge
easily and are more abrasive than graphite. Sepia-toned and white pencils are also available
for duotone techniques.
Carbon pencils
They generally are made of a mixture of clay and lamp black, but are sometimes blended
with charcoal or graphite depending on the darkness and manufacturer. They produce a
fuller black than graphite pencils, but are smoother than charcoal.

Coloured pencils, or pencil crayons

These have wax-like cores with pigment and other fillers. Multiple colours are often blended
together.[53]
Grease pencils
They write on virtually any surface (including glass, plastic, metal and photographs). The
most commonly found grease pencils are encased in paper (Berol and Sanford Peel-off), but
they can also be encased in wood (Staedtler Omnichrom).[53]
Watercolour pencils
These are designed for use with watercolour techniques. The pencils can be used by
themselves for sharp, bold lines. Strokes made by the pencil can also be saturated with
water and spread with brushes